Old Contemptibles Association - List of badge numbers

[David Ellis]

Last picture.

these pics were obtained from the Regt museum in Glasgow.

we believe, the soldier with his rifle slung over his shoulder is ‘our man’.

unfortunately, we’ll never know (?)

if you compare the (known) photo of ‘Granddad’, his youthful looks very much resembles those of the young squaddie at the railway station????

 Thank you again Andrew for your great assistance.

[David Ellis]

Sorry Andrew 

this is the last post (for now?)

blurred photo taken before mobile phones on a camera with film!

 I didn’t know they were out of focus until developed!

All this has since been ‘sold’ out of the family by his late daughter .

However, we consider ourselves very lucky to have seen it before it was lost.

NB: inc his OC lapel badge.

[David Ellis]

Good morning Andrew 

having put the word out locally on social media following our recent conversation, I believe we have struck ‘gold’.

The following were sent to me by a Stephanie Keenan, granddaughter of Major Harry Lamming who served for 49 years in the army!

Stephanie has given her permission for me to forward these onto you, and ask’s that you credit both her and her Grandfather in any further use you have for them.

Thank you

Dave

[AndrewThornton]

Hello David.

Thank you for posting the photograph and the article.

To add a little detail to the photograph taken in 1961, the Chums were:

R. Emans DCM (late No. 2 Siege Battery RGA); H. T. Allen (1st Dorsets); J. J. Muston (15th Field Ambulance RAMC); D. R. Kearns (Portsmouth Bn. RMLI); O. Rees (RFA); T. S. Vinson (No. 7 Siege Battery RGA); P. V. W. Fenn (No. 4 Sqn. RFC); R. A. Stone (24th Field Ambulance RAMC); G. Everett (1st Hampshires); G. W. Till (1st Dorsets); E. A. Wake (18th Hussars); F. J. Smith (1st Hampshires); H. A. Chappell (Portsmouth Bn. RMLI); F. Curtis (RGA); T. D. P. Adamson (RFA attached 26th Heavy Battery RGA); C. W. Close (2nd KRRC); and H. Lamming MBE, MM, RVM (No. 4 Siege Battery RGA).

 

 

 

 

 

Edited 16 March , 2023 by AndrewThornton

[AndrewThornton]

Some more information about Chum Denis Robert Kearns, the Standard Bearer in the 1961 photograph. Chum Kearns was the youngest member of The Old Contemptibles' Association, though many Chums laid claim to this title...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02eLryhqPZKNc9UazcT7X5FV1TdFbZ3zQcriMrND2PUui7ZVoh6nPEJBvqaW8M3TF9l&id=848841865150871

[David Ellis]

8 hours ago, AndrewThornton said:

Some more information about Chum Denis Robert Kearns, the Standard Bearer in the 1961 photograph. Chum Kearns was the youngest member of The Old Contemptibles' Association, though many Chums laid claim to this title...

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=pfbid02eLryhqPZKNc9UazcT7X5FV1TdFbZ3zQcriMrND2PUui7ZVoh6nPEJBvqaW8M3TF9l&id=848841865150871

Thank you for the article on the youngest Old Contemptible.

The more I read, and learn, just what that generation went through, it makes the mind boggle.

It certainly puts our troubled world into context.

 I will continue to search out anything else on the Gosport branch, and keep you posted.

regards

Dave

[David Ellis]

Hello Andrew

we've recently returned from a cruise back to Southampton.

Are you aware of the brass plaque on the wall by Dock Gate 4?  It commemorates the fact that, part, of the 1914 BEF sailed to France from this location.

If you haven't already got them, I took some pics of it.

Kind regards

Dave

 

[AndrewThornton]

1 hour ago, David Ellis said:

Hello Andrew

we've recently returned from a cruise back to Southampton.

Are you aware of the brass plaque on the wall by Dock Gate 4?  It commemorates the fact that, part, of the 1914 BEF sailed to France from this location.

If you haven't already got them, I took some pics of it.

Kind regards

Dave

 

Yes I am David. Here is a leaflet that the Southampton Branch produced in 1972 regarding the plaque.

[David Ellis]

Good morning, Andrew.

 Thank you for sending me the leaflet from the 1970’s appertaining to the plaque - very interesting.

In return, I attach some photos taken on our return to Southampton last week.

kind regards

David 

[David Ellis]

On 09/03/2023 at 18:09, AndrewThornton said:

Hello David

Thank you for your message and the reference to the Old Contemptibles' Association Badge. The number indicates that the badge was issued during 1931. At this time the Gosport and Fareham Branch did not exist, so, based on the information that you have provided, it would appear that Chum Gilbert was a member of the Portsmouth and District Branch before transferring to the Gosport and Fareham Branch on its formation in 1951.

I will have a look if I have any reference to Chum Gilbert, but in the meantime there are some details of the activities of both the Portsmouth and Gosport & Fareham Branches posted on my blog, which may be of interest:

https://oldcontemptiblesassociationscrapbook.wordpress.com/blog/

Good evening Andrew.

further to our recent correspondence, I was able to visit Portsmouth Central Library last week and print off the attached report.

one is a close up of the text, where the other includes the only photo of the occasion.

it is from the Hampshire Telegraph, as dated.

you have sent me the write from the OC’s magazine (of the time), which contained, I believe, an abridged report of the Southern Region Rally.

 I thought you would want a copy for your file, if you haven’t already got it.

kind regards Dave

[AndrewThornton]

Thanks Dave. I'd posted a transcript of the very same article to my blog site last month: https://oldcontemptiblesassociationscrapbook.wordpress.com/2023/07/13/southern-area-rally-held-at-gosport-19-july-1953/

[David Ellis]

Good evening Andrew

I came across this headstone whilst mooching around the old cemetery in Gosport, Hampshire recently and, with it's Old Contemptible connection, wondered if it would be of an interest to you?

The lead name is (mother): Annie Dibben died Sept 1901

underneath (father):            Walter James (Dibben) died Jan 1918

lastly (son):                           George Victor (Dibben) Royal Engineers died Feb 1915 in Weymouth age 28.........'one of the old contemptibles'.

 

I'm a little confused who's plot this headstone marks? due to the overlapping of the order of dates of death and, the OC's didn't come into being until 1925.

 

[AndrewThornton]

Hello David

12237 Sapper George Victor Dibben served with 17th Field Company in 1914 and arrived in France on 18 August 1914 - this is why he is referred to as an 'Old Contemptible' on the headstone as he was a member of the original B.E.F. He is buried at Weymouth Cemetery: B. "C" 2286. His service record survives and is available to view online via subscription genealogy websites. 

The Old Contemptibles' Association was formed by surviving members of the original B.E.F. who qualified for the 1914 Star with Clasp.

 

[David Ellis]

Thank you for your prompt reply Andrew.

 Following my email to you I did do a little research on Ancestry.

He was born in Gosport, as were his parents…hence him being referenced on their headstone.

 I also saw from the CWGC that he has their headstone on his plot in Weymouth.

maybe he died of wounds in a military hospital facility in the Weymouth area(?)

Thank you for your help in helping flesh out the history on this Old Contemptible.

David

[AndrewThornton]

For anyone who is interested, there are now 1,500 Old Contemptibles' Association Badges Numbers, with the name and Branch of the Chum it was issued to, listed on The Old Contemptibles' Association Scrap Book blog. 

Please bear in mind that this number represents only a fraction of the over 50,000 badges that were issued during the lifetime of the Association, and the collation of this  information has only been made possible due to the help of a number of people who have kindly assisted in making surviving information available to me to use.

The site can be searched - there is a search facility on the Blog section of the site - and the details of particular Chums are included amongst the 11,250 members of the Association also currently listed on there. If you are looking for badge numbers in particular, each post is tagged 'Association Badge Numbers'.

https://oldcontemptiblesassociationscrapbook.wordpress.com/2024/02/24/old-contemptibles-association-badge-numbers-30/

Edited 25 February by AndrewThornton

[AndrewThornton]

On 10/03/2020 at 23:25, Dia said:

Not sure where he lived during the war but lived in battersea in 1924 when my mum was born then but lived in Plymouthin (1934) later in life and died in Weymouth 1939 mum was 14.

Chum Veness was indeed a member of the Weymouth Branch of The Old Contemptibles' Association. He died on 3 January 1939.